Invalid lifter and carrier.



W. A. ALLEN.

INVALID LIFTER AND CARRIER.

Z SHEETB-SEEET 1.

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APPLIUATION FILED JUNE-10, 1912. 1,061,715, Patented May 13,1913.

W. A. ALLEN.

INVALID LIFTER AND CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNIno, 1912.

Patented May 13, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

1 b w m WW5 03.01% yva mam UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WILSOIT A. ALLEN, OF ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA.

INVALID LIFTER AND CARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed June 10. 1912. Serial No. 702,977.

' Patented May 13,1913.

My lnvention relates to hospital equipment, and it consists of a device adapted to be used in lifting sick or wounded persons from their cots or beds, holding them in a comfortable position while their cots or beds are being re-arranged, changed or madeup, gently conveying t em from one room toanother, or from one place to another, and to as gently replace them upon their cots or beds, as will hereinafter be more fully described.

It is a common practice (save and excepting in hospitals fully equipped with surgical appliances) to lift invalids, and to hold them in onesarms while their cots or beds are being re-arranged, changed or made up, but as such practice is unsanitary, often painful to the patient, and always wearisome to the nurses or attendants, it is the purpose of this my present invention, to provide safe and gentle means for handling invalids, whereby the dangers of contagion are minimized, the unnecessary suffering of the patient may be avoided and much of the weariness of the nurses or attendants may be unknown.

My invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, fully described in the following paragraphs of this specification, and particularly referred to in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings referred to, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my lifter and carrier complete; Fig. 2 is a rear end view thereof; Fig. 3 is a horizontal longitudinal section of Fig. 1, taken on the line 3.3; Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section, of Fig. 1, taken on the line 4-4, and Fig. 5 is a top view of my device.

Similar letters refer to .similar parts throughout the several views.

The truck A, is not unlike trucks for similar pur oses consisting as it does of a frame or plat orm a having wheels I), which wheels should be provided with rubber tires, to deaden the sound, and to give them elasticity. This truck A serves to support crane B, and to provide means for its carriage from place to place as for instance sprocket chain Z.

. rotated throng? the from the invalids cot or bed to an operating table. I

The crane B may be constructed of any suitable material, and in any desired form adapted to the purpose. As herein shown it consists of two transversely braced trussed segments, this form being adapted to give the minimum of strength with the minimum of weight, while its form is eculiarly adapted to the purpose for whic it is designed, its upper overhanging portion B being adapted to be brought directly over the invalids while upon their cots or beds (the forward portion A of the truck A being adapted to be run under the cots or beds).

The lifting and suspending means C constitute the novel features on my invention. It embodies the crank shaft 0, the sprocket gear (2, the counter-shaft e, the s iral disk f, the, toothed bar 9, the flexible s aft k, and the grapplers z. The crank shaft 0 is horizontally journaled in the crane B, being arranged longitudinally with the truck A. This shaft is longitudinally pierced thus adapting it to serve as a bearing for the' flexible shaft IL and h hereinafter described, and is located intermediate the upper and lower portions of the crane, thereby locating it at about the level of the shoulder of a erson of average height. It is rotated by means of the hand crank j, and transmits motion to the counter-shaft e by means of the sprocket wheels 70 and is and the The counter-shaft e is horizontally journaled in the upper portion of the crane B being arranged longitudinally therewith, and parallel with the crank shaft 0. It is the operation of the sprocket gear by means of the crank shaft 0.

The spiral disk f is rigidly affixed to the front end of the counter shaft e, and is therefore rotated thereby. Its spiral thread m engages the teeth n of the toothed bar 9 which bar is raised or lowered thereby (according to the, direction of rotation of the counter shaft c). This toothed bar (g) s slidably mounted in a guide 0 afiixed 1n the forward portion B of the crane B, and is relieved of a portion of the friction thereon by means of the friction roller p.

The flexible shaft 11. is journaled'wlthln the longitudinally pierced crank shaft 0, and is operated independently thereof, the latter serving only as a convenient bearing therefor. The portion h" of this shaft (the portion lying w'thinthe crank shaft may be inflexible, while the portion h there of consists, of a wire coil, thereby adapting it to the contortions necessary to its function. Tothe'rear portion of. this (the inflexible portion) is rigidly-affixed a hand crank g by means of which it is-rotated, and to its front portion thereof (the flexible portion) is rigidly 'a-flixedthe swivel block r andpivotally afiixed to the lower end of the toothed bar 9 and thereforerevoluble thereupon. The lower end of this swivel block r is, bifurcated for the outer flexible portion of the flexible shaft-h. I

Rigidly afiixed to the flexible shaft h and lying within the bifurcatedportion of the swivel block 1' is a disk or crank s to which disk is pivotally affixed toggle levers t, the purpose of. which will hereinafter be set I forth. 7 The grapplers z consist of a series of "curved arms, preferably eight in number,

which arms are arranged lower ends with adapted to be passed underneath the invalid to be lifted. These arms (2') are pivotally aflixedto the swivel adjustable thereon.

arms are adjustably .aflixed intermediate their length to one of the two aI'allel bars 1;, by means of oppositely arranged) length of the. person, one pair of arms being adapted to underlie the head of the pa tient, one pair tibn of the trunk and one pair the legs of ed, t rough beingprovided with the slots w andthe thumb nuts on to rigidly clamp the said arms thereto and to securely hold them apart.

parallel series of grapplers thereby being adapted to lie parallel with the invalid, but that if necessary or desirable the suspended persons may be turned aBoutsdas to lie parallel with the 1on'gitu-.

dinal axis of the truck through the operation of theflexible shaft 71. and the swivel blockn' v I I I operate my device as follows: Rolling the truckA to the side of the cot or bed I allow the forward end thereof to run under the said cot or bed thusbringing the lifting .means directly above the invalid, and parallel therewith. I then lower thetoothed bar g, and with it the grapplers 11 until the respective plates u may be,united by slid under the invalid by rotating the, flexible shaft h, thereby drawing the four pairs flexible shaft, 7

should it be necessary or desirable I turn the in four pairs, which are respectively provided at their. the thin broad plates u to return the block -r and therefore Each-f and all of these;

which each pair (the rms. may be adjusted to the the shoulders or upper por tion of thetru nk, one pair the, lower por- "supporting means embodying a horizontally the patient, the parallel bars v being adapt for the time being a predetermined distance- It will be observed that normally the two lie transversely to the'longitudinal axis of the trunk A,

being or series of oppositely arranged plates toward each. other by means of the toggle levers 't, one of which (he middle one) owing to its configuration and position will lock the said grapplers i securely in such position, when I am prepared to raise the invalidfrom the cot or bed. I then rotate the crank 0' by means of the hand crank j and with it the counter shaft ewhen the spiral disk f aflixed to the said counter shaft will also be rotated, its spiral thread therein engaging the teeth of the toothed bar g when the latter will be raised,.thereby lifting the invalid by means of the grapplers i and the plates u. Then lifting means around a quarter of the'circle through the flexibility of the shaft 12., thereby arranging the iinvalid parallel with the longitudinal axis of "the truck A. may be provided whereby the invalid may beheld permanently in such position, but I deem it necessary to holdfinvalids .in such position only when passing through doorways or narrow halls. When it is desirable invalids totheir cots or beds I-roll the truck back to the saidcots or beds, when I reverse the direction or rotation of the counter shaft 0 and the spiral disk affixed thereupon, when the lifting means will be lowered and the invalid again placed upon'the cot or bed, when -by rotating the flexible shaft h in an opposite direction to the one used in closingin the plates u, the toggle levers will operate .to open the grapplers i and to release the invalid.

I claim as my invention.

1. The combination with stantially as herein :shown,

the truck subthe lifting and arranged shaft, a spiral disk aflixed thereon andrevoluble therewith, a vertical toothed bar, the teeth of which engage the thread of the said spiral disk, grapplers pivotally affixed to the said toothed bar and revoluble thereon and toggle levers afiixed to and adapted to operate the said grapplers, substantially asand for the purposes described. 2. In a device of the character described, the combination with the truck and crane substantially 'as herein shown, of the vertically arranged toothed bar mounted and longitudinally movable within the said crane, I

grapplers suspended from but revoluble upon said toothed bar, a horizontally arranged flexible sh aft mounted and revoluble in the said crane, a crank disk rigidly affixed to and revoluble with the said flexible shaft, and toggle levers connecting the said grapplers and the said crank disk, s'ubstantially as shown, and for the purpose d6?- scribed. v "I 3. In a device of the shown, the combination wit and the crane B substantially as shown, of a horizontally arranged crank character herein Means the truck A shaftl mounted and revoluble in the said crane, a counter shaft arranged parallel with the said crank shaft, a sprocket wheel aflixed upon the s'aid crank shaft, a similar sprocket wheel afiixed upon the said counter shaft, a chain driven by the first named sprocket wheel and adapted to drive the said last named sprocket wheel, a vertically arranged toothed bar recessed and longitudinally movable in the said crane, a spiral gear, the thread of which engages the teeth of the said toothed wheel, grapplers connected to the said toothed bar, a flexible shaft chambered within the said crank shaft, a crank disk aflixed to the said flexible shaft, and 15 my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 20 nesses.

WILSON A. ALLEN.

Witnesses! A. O. Barren, .S. A. MILLER. 

